AHL suspends P-Bruins’ Robins for 3 games for leaving penalty box

Tuesday

May 13, 2014 at 6:19 PM

PROVIDENCE – The Providence Bruins will be without Bobby Robins for the next three playoff games after he was suspended by the American Hockey League for leaving the penalty box during an altercation in Game Two against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Satur

Mark Divver Assistant Sports Editor markdivver

PROVIDENCE – The Providence Bruins will be without Bobby Robins for the next three playoff games after he was suspended by the American Hockey League for leaving the penalty box during an altercation in Game Two against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday night.

Game Three of the second-round Calder Cup series, which is tied at a game each, is Wednesday night at 7:05 at the Dunkin Donuts Center.

Robins was taken to the box with 7:31 left in a penalty-filled third period during the Penguins’ 6-1 win. As an altercation continued on the ice, Robins left the box, though he did not participate in the altercation.

Providence coach Bruce Cassidy took no issue with the league’s decision.

“The (video) feed they give us from Wilkes-Barre doesn’t show the penalty box, so I can’t sit here and say unequivocally that it happened. But they have referee’s reports and (AHL president) Dave Andrews was at the game,’’ said Cassidy.

“They said (Robins) went in and came back out. I’ve got a lot of respect for Dave Andrews, so if that’s what he saw, we abide by their decision.’’

Providence’s Jared Knight was assessed a game misconduct by the AHL for leaving the bench during the altercation, but was not suspended.

While there were no fights in the game, referees Trevor Hanson and Chris Ciamaga handed out a total of 138 penalty minutes.

After scoring four early goals in a 4-0 win in Game One, Providence was not nearly as good in Game Two, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was much better.

“We weren’t clean early. We didn’t have our legs. They had more urgency than us and it showed,’’ said Cassidy.

“Maybe with our young group we were a little too content with how things went on Friday. Some of that’s clearly on me for not making them aware,’’ he said. “We’ve got two good teams going at it. We were the better team on Friday. They were the better team on Saturday.’’

The Penguins are coached by Toll Gate High grad John Hynes and have two former Brown stars, Harry Zolnierczyk and Bobby Farnham, on the roster.

“It’s nice. We have a lot of guys from the New England area,’’ Hynes said on Tuesday, before his team boarded the bus for Providence.

Injured Penguins Andrew Ebbett and Philip Samuelsson are reportedly questionable for Game Three.

Derrick Pouliot, one of Pittsburgh’s top defense prospects, is expected to join the team late this week after his Portland Winterhawks were beaten in the Western Hockey League finals.